Colonoscopy Why the colonoscopy is so important

Colorectal cancer screening: By colonoscopy, disease risk can be reduced
More than 62,000 people in Germany suffer from colon cancer each year. Healthy nutrition alone is not enough to prevent a disease. Health experts rely rather on the colonoscopy as a check-up. Colorectal cancer screening can save lives.
Healthy nutrition alone is not enough
Every year, 26,000 people die from colorectal cancer. More than 62,000 people in this country get new every year. An important trigger is an unhealthy lifestyle. It has recently been reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) may classify red meats and sausages as "likely to cause cancer". Studies have shown that vegetarians are less likely to develop colorectal cancer. Excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, overweight or obesity and lack of exercise are among the recognized risk factors. "But even avoiding all five known risks can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by at most a quarter," explained Christian Trautwein, Director of the Medical Clinic III at the University Hospital Aachen and spokesman for the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS). The experts of the DGVS rather rely on the colonoscopy as a check-up.

In a colonoscopy polyps can be removed immediately
"Many tumors are genetically determined and therefore can not be safely avoided even with a healthy diet," says the association. The best precaution is therefore the regular colonoscopy. As part of the screening colonoscopy, polyps are found in 31 percent of men and 20 percent of women and can be removed during the examination. This prevents the development of cancer. According to DGVS, the individual risk of contracting colon cancer is reduced by up to 80 percent with the preventive check-up. The experts referred in this connection to a study published in August 2015 in the journal "Gastroenterology".

Do not be afraid of investigation
You do not have to be afraid of a colonoscopy: A colonoscopy is performed in short anesthesia. According to figures from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), more people in Germany used screening colonoscopy in 2013 and 2014. Although participation declined by 38 percent from 2006 to 2012, in the past two years there has been a total increase of 13.5 percent , "Once it becomes clear that citizens and doctors have confidence in these investigations," said Dietrich Hüppe of the professional association of gastrointestinal doctors, according to a report by "aerzteblatt.de". In addition, the figures reflect that citizens who have participated in screening colonoscopy since 2002 have the opportunity to undergo such an examination for the second time after ten years. (Ad)